A Journey of Serendipity: Meeting His Holiness in the Sky
Travel is always an invitation to possibility. Each journey generally begins with curiosity, but what makes it unforgettable are the people we meet, the sights we see and the moments that we never saw coming.
🛣️The Road to the Unexpected
Although this was a lastminute return trip to India, it had not failed to deliver, and as expected had been filled with the usual vibrant encounters, swirl of colour, scents of spice and those spontaneous conversations with strangers that always leave you wanting more. This rhythm of serendipity, the way travel stitches together chance meetings and experiences into lasting memories is part of the joy and privilege of travel.
However, nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.
🙏 An Audience at 30,000 Feet
It was on a plane, high above the clouds, that I found myself in the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The setting was simple, rows of seats, the not so quiet hum of the engines, the conversations of passengers reminiscing about the journey just completed and what was planned next. Yet in that ordinary space, something extraordinary unfolded.
His Holiness the Dalai Lama, sat quietly looking out of the window. There was no ceremony, no grandeur, just a profound calm that seemed to ripple around him. He turned to me and smiled warmly, and when he spoke, his voice was gentle, almost a hush, as though the words were meant only for those who truly listened.
He offered a simple blessing, his hands raised slightly, and I felt a wave of peace settle over me. Then, with kindness that felt deeply personal, he asked "How are you? Are you well?" An ordinary question, yet in that moment it carried extraordinary weight. I answered, speaking of my journey, my hopes, and of what might lay ahead. He listened intently, nodding, his eyes reflecting both compassion and curiosity. I stumbled through my reply, humbled by the sincerity of his interest, it wasn’t advice he offered, but presence, the gift of being heard, of being seen.
đź’ˇLessons from the Sky
The encounter taught me that the true wonders of travel are not just the monuments or landscapes, but the unexpected experiences that truly open our hearts.
A smile from a stranger can be as lasting as a photograph and as impacting as the tallest monument.
A shared understanding can bridge cultures more powerfully than words.
And sometimes, if fortune smiles upon us, travel leads to encounters that stay with us for a lifetime, like meeting the Dalai Lama on a plane and realising that sometimes the greatest journey is the one within.
🪞The Wonder of Travel
Looking back, I see travel as a mirror, reflecting the world’s diversity, and revealing parts of ourselves we didn’t know existed. It teaches us to be open, to embrace the unexpected, and to find meaning in moments both ordinary and extraordinary. My audience with His Holiness, high above the clouds, was not the end of a journey but the beginning of a deeper one, a reminder that every step, every seat, every chance encounter carries the potential to change us forever.
The world is waiting, so get out there and explore it, with confidence, respect and a willingness to open your heart and soul to whatever is waiting for you.
